August 2008

08/28/2008

Gamay, the underdog of the wine world has been in the work, deadline is Tuesday. To plumb the depths of its slacker reputation I had an emergency gamay tasting in my living room, the Sunday before I packed off to France. I bundled up about 28 gamays or so; Beaujos, Loires, New York States, Oregonians and Californians. They were grown on a variety of soils; limestone, some from granite and some from who the hell knows, which might be why some were gaseous and vile examples of a grape disabused.
If you'd like to see what happened, Kelli White wrote a spirited blog about the event for the The Organic Wine Journal.
I still had Gamay on my brain on a recent visit to Burgundy, only an hour from gamay central, Beaujolais. I was staying with wine importer Becky Wasserman in the farmhouse she shares with her husband Russell Hone. Over lentil soup and some fine local cheeses, I asked them about Gamay. This is a house that is filled with Bonnes Mares, Chambolle, Richebourg, sublime wines for sure but when I mentioned Gamay that just put a smile on her face. She asked. “Shall we have some?” As we went into her cellar to collect some 13-year -old Beaujolais, she explained her enthusiasm, “Maybe it’s that I always had a spot for the under dog, but that’s not the whole story. I really do love them.”
The 1995 Moulin a Vent from the producer Jacky Janodet was superb. It had a cherry chewiness, a firm meaty wine that outshone the Burgundy, a 2002 Pommard we had alongside of it.
The next night, though, Becky pulled out a real surprise. A 1947 Julienas. “We bought it at a local auction a few years back. No one wanted it.”
No one wanted a 1947? A wine that went for a song from one of the most famous vintages of the last century? She flashed her brown/grey eyes and said, “You see? No respect.”
After tossing the head-on dover sole into the oven, (nestled together in their pan, cute as puppies) and mashing emerald parsley into the biodynamic potatoes, Russell polished off the bottle dust. We noted the extremely deep punt. The label said Maitre Miret, Hussiere a Macon, he was something like a Rabbi going around giving an OU to kosher food.
Russell stuck in a corkscrew, the cork, which had dried up, fell in. No problem. He poured anyway. The color was only slightly bricked, the wine had some floating sediment. He took a sniff, took a sip. Passed me the glass, 'Brilliant,' he said. He was so nonchalant I thought he was kidding. The perfume jumped. Delicate yet masculine and extremely sensual. Not exactly the roses of pinot. more like fresh red currant, blueberry and extremely firm. Yes, firm. Sturdy. Youthful. Spicy. Delicious. Easy to taste the heat of 1947. Something about the ginger and delicacy in the wine reminded me of an older red Meursault.
There was no trouble polishing it off all too quickly. I slept that night without sleep aids to ward off jet lag and woke up to the mooing of the Charolais cows.

Gamay, the underdog of the wine world has been in the work, deadline is Tuesday. To plumb the depths of its slacker reputation I had an emergency gamay tasting in my living room, the Sunday before I packed off to France. I bundled up about 28 gamays or so; Beaujos, Loires, New York States, Oregonians and Californians. They were grown on a variety of soils; limestone, some from granite and some from who the hell knows, which might be why some were gaseous and vile examples of a grape disabused.
If you'd like to see what happened, Kelli White wrote a spirited blog about the event for the The Organic Wine Journal.
I still had Gamay on my brain on a recent visit to Burgundy, only an hour from gamay central, Beaujolais. I was staying with wine importer Becky Wasserman in the farmhouse she shares with her husband Russell Hone. Over lentil soup and some fine local cheeses, I asked them about Gamay. This is a house that is filled with Bonnes Mares, Chambolle, Richebourg, sublime wines for sure but when I mentioned Gamay that just put a smile on her face. She asked. “Shall we have some?” As we went into her cellar to collect some 13-year -old Beaujolais, she explained her enthusiasm, “Maybe it’s that I always had a spot for the under dog, but that’s not the whole story. I really do love them.”
The 1995 Moulin a Vent from the producer Jacky Janodet was superb. It had a cherry chewiness, a firm meaty wine that outshone the Burgundy, a 2002 Pommard we had alongside of it.
The next night, though, Becky pulled out a real surprise. A 1947 Julienas. “We bought it at a local auction a few years back. No one wanted it.”
No one wanted a 1947? A wine that went for a song from one of the most famous vintages of the last century? She flashed her brown/grey eyes and said, “You see? No respect.”
After tossing the head-on dover sole into the oven, (nestled together in their pan, cute as puppies) and mashing emerald parsley into the biodynamic potatoes, Russell polished off the bottle dust. We noted the extremely deep punt. The label said Maitre Miret, Hussiere a Macon, he was something like a Rabbi going around giving an OU to kosher food.
Russell stuck in a corkscrew, the cork, which had dried up, fell in. No problem. He poured anyway. The color was only slightly bricked, the wine had some floating sediment. He took a sniff, took a sip. Passed me the glass, 'Brilliant,' he said. He was so nonchalant I thought he was kidding. The perfume jumped. Delicate yet masculine and extremely sensual. Not exactly the roses of pinot. more like fresh red currant, blueberry and extremely firm. Yes, firm. Sturdy. Youthful. Spicy. Delicious. Easy to taste the heat of 1947. Something about the ginger and delicacy in the wine reminded me of an older red Meursault.
There was no trouble polishing it off all too quickly. I slept that night without sleep aids to ward off jet lag and woke up to the mooing of the Charolais cows.

08/23/2008

Hey, have all of you deserted me? It's August and it feels as if I the only one in town waiting for the phone to ring or for the comments to rush in? It almost feels as if I'm the only one left here to watch the thunder and lightning in NYC which has been as dramatic as an El Greco canvas.
Just checking.
What about this question: did you read Jim Fullmer, president of Demeter USA's comment on my previous post?
I like talking to Jim. As a farmer, he is quite ardent about biodynamics and a little new to the concept of wine and I also think a little amused at my take on things. Never-the-less, in our correspondence he has told me that he hopes some changes are in effect for the harvest of 2008. I wonder if I hear the influence of Nicolas Joly who has a few tier step for his Return to Terroir Group?
If it goes through Biodynamics will have something for everyone.
1) Biodynamic Grapes (not wine)
2) Biodynamic Wine (from 100% bioD grapes) and those will come in two sizes:
2a) The normal Biodynamic wine which means you can mess with the wine process some.
2b) Gold Standard Biodynamic---which is ultimately a 'natural' wine.
Interesting, though I see no point in anything but the gold standard. But at least it's going to be there.
Here' a little bit from Jim's own email.
++++In the wine section of the processing standard there are 2 labeling categories. In the "old" USA standard about to be revised ( December 2006) the categories were/ are "made with BD grapes" and "Biodynamic Wine" ( being the one w/ less modification allowed). In the revision it is looking like the "made with" terminology will be gone because it is to easily confused w/ the confusion that goes on in the "organic " world. It is likely that category will be "Biodynamic Wine" and the un- modified category " Biodynamic Gold Standard". The goal for the later is to have the Demeter logo for this category in gold and easily identified on the bottle. I admit that this is a needed improvement in labeling so folks can easily identify it on the store shelf.
Both categories mean 100% Biodynamic grapes , always have always will. Again getting rid of the "made with" so as to not get stuck in the vortex of the organic mess, 70% what have you....

Hey, have all of you deserted me? It's August and it feels as if I the only one in town waiting for the phone to ring or for the comments to rush in? It almost feels as if I'm the only one left here to watch the thunder and lightning in NYC which has been as dramatic as an El Greco canvas.
Just checking.
What about this question: did you read Jim Fullmer, president of Demeter USA's comment on my previous post?
I like talking to Jim. As a farmer, he is quite ardent about biodynamics and a little new to the concept of wine and I also think a little amused at my take on things. Never-the-less, in our correspondence he has told me that he hopes some changes are in effect for the harvest of 2008. I wonder if I hear the influence of Nicolas Joly who has a few tier step for his Return to Terroir Group?
If it goes through Biodynamics will have something for everyone.
1) Biodynamic Grapes (not wine)
2) Biodynamic Wine (from 100% bioD grapes) and those will come in two sizes:
2a) The normal Biodynamic wine which means you can mess with the wine process some.
2b) Gold Standard Biodynamic---which is ultimately a 'natural' wine.
Interesting, though I see no point in anything but the gold standard. But at least it's going to be there.
Here' a little bit from Jim's own email.
++++In the wine section of the processing standard there are 2 labeling categories. In the "old" USA standard about to be revised ( December 2006) the categories were/ are "made with BD grapes" and "Biodynamic Wine" ( being the one w/ less modification allowed). In the revision it is looking like the "made with" terminology will be gone because it is to easily confused w/ the confusion that goes on in the "organic " world. It is likely that category will be "Biodynamic Wine" and the un- modified category " Biodynamic Gold Standard". The goal for the later is to have the Demeter logo for this category in gold and easily identified on the bottle. I admit that this is a needed improvement in labeling so folks can easily identify it on the store shelf.
Both categories mean 100% Biodynamic grapes , always have always will. Again getting rid of the "made with" so as to not get stuck in the vortex of the organic mess, 70% what have you....

Post 9/11, when I couldn't travel with a corkscrew I decanted wine into a water bottle. After the shoe bomber soured the possibility of carrying liquids onto the aircraft, I had to cotton up to Johnny Walker purchased in chintzy little bottles from the attendant. One night in May, when he was visiting New York I complained about the dry flight issue. Alfonso Cevola, friend and keeper of the On the Wine Trail in Italy blog came to my rescue. In July he sent me a gift.
Masquerading as a Dop kid are four spice bottles in water resistant plastic. Each one under 3 ounces. See where I'm going? Tonight I'll board a plane and test drive the possibility--a 12 ounce pour of Steve Edmunds Bone-Jolly.
I'll let you know if I get busted.
More news from the other side.
All right, we never made it on to the plane. I walked by my bag, still in my apartment. Got a whiff of some juice. Damn. Good thing the bottles were in plastic. Back to a martini at the gate and some scotch on the plane. Speak to you later. --A

Post 9/11, when I couldn't travel with a corkscrew I decanted wine into a water bottle. After the shoe bomber soured the possibility of carrying liquids onto the aircraft, I had to cotton up to Johnny Walker purchased in chintzy little bottles from the attendant. One night in May, when he was visiting New York I complained about the dry flight issue. Alfonso Cevola, friend and keeper of the On the Wine Trail in Italy blog came to my rescue. In July he sent me a gift.
Masquerading as a Dop kid are four spice bottles in water resistant plastic. Each one under 3 ounces. See where I'm going? Tonight I'll board a plane and test drive the possibility--a 12 ounce pour of Steve Edmunds Bone-Jolly.
I'll let you know if I get busted.
More news from the other side.
All right, we never made it on to the plane. I walked by my bag, still in my apartment. Got a whiff of some juice. Damn. Good thing the bottles were in plastic. Back to a martini at the gate and some scotch on the plane. Speak to you later. --A

08/20/2008

Mom called. "Did you see the Sunday Magazine? There's a story on Bordeaux. Why didn't you write the story?"
God love her.
"Well," Ethel, I said, "I'm not the only wine writer in the States and anyway, there's no story there."
The writer, Lewine, documented last years news about the fall of the latest
St. Emilion Classifications. Didn't they run the idea by Eric Asimov first? The right bank classifications are meaningless. Losing the stamp might make a difference when the wines are stacked in the supermarket in France and seekers of generic bordeaux want to differentiate one bottle of plonk from the next, but in in the States no one cares and really, if it's not Cheval Blanc (haven't tasted a recent vintage to comment),or some sought after hyperbolic and superfluous garagiste wine, most drinkers just don't look at the who's who of merlot.
There are plenty of small producers, true artisans who would never put their hat in the ring to be assessed for the tribunal's wine judgement. What as particularly annoying here is that the author seemed to have no idea how Bordeaux works or what it means to be an artisan vs. a brand. The writing was flashy. But the argument of the winemaker's plight didn't measure up to any real life drama, not even a tempest in a teapot. This is always a problem when people who don't know about wine and wine culture write about wine.
Lewine's article.
Today, Decanter just posted a much more newsworthy story: the TTB is currently investigating potential fraud because six wines that were at first promoted to the meaningless Grand Cru Classe in 2006, ( but were demoted because of the lawsuit which succeeded in returning to the classifications of 1996) have released wines with the Grand Cru Classe on their label.
Fraud? I find this kind of fraud quite amusing. This is not grape fraud like in the recent Brunello scandal. This is not about label of vintage swapping. This is about the fraudulent use of a meaningless stamp of approval, as useful as let's, see, a California Cabernet that has the U.C. Davis stamp of quality. Amusing. Yes.
And then comes along Robin Goldstein, author of The Wine Trials, who did some fancy and amusing footwork.
He just posted a ballsy expos�e on those awards of excellence the Spec hands out to restaurants that have wine lists up to the Wine Spects high standards. Goldstein spoofed up a restaurant, created a reserve list that he cherry picked from a collection of mostly low scoring Spectator wines.
The list is overpriced and underbalanced sprouting germs like the AMARONE CLASSICO �LA FABRISERIA� 1998 (Veneto) Tedeschi for 185,00 �.
But the point? He paid money and got himself a Wine Spec badge of honor.
read about it here.

Mom called. "Did you see the Sunday Magazine? There's a story on Bordeaux. Why didn't you write the story?"
God love her.
"Well," Ethel, I said, "I'm not the only wine writer in the States and anyway, there's no story there."
The writer, Lewine, documented last years news about the fall of the latest
St. Emilion Classifications. Didn't they run the idea by Eric Asimov first? The right bank classifications are meaningless. Losing the stamp might make a difference when the wines are stacked in the supermarket in France and seekers of generic bordeaux want to differentiate one bottle of plonk from the next, but in in the States no one cares and really, if it's not Cheval Blanc (haven't tasted a recent vintage to comment),or some sought after hyperbolic and superfluous garagiste wine, most drinkers just don't look at the who's who of merlot.
There are plenty of small producers, true artisans who would never put their hat in the ring to be assessed for the tribunal's wine judgement. What as particularly annoying here is that the author seemed to have no idea how Bordeaux works or what it means to be an artisan vs. a brand. The writing was flashy. But the argument of the winemaker's plight didn't measure up to any real life drama, not even a tempest in a teapot. This is always a problem when people who don't know about wine and wine culture write about wine.
Lewine's article.
Today, Decanter just posted a much more newsworthy story: the TTB is currently investigating potential fraud because six wines that were at first promoted to the meaningless Grand Cru Classe in 2006, ( but were demoted because of the lawsuit which succeeded in returning to the classifications of 1996) have released wines with the Grand Cru Classe on their label.
Fraud? I find this kind of fraud quite amusing. This is not grape fraud like in the recent Brunello scandal. This is not about label of vintage swapping. This is about the fraudulent use of a meaningless stamp of approval, as useful as let's, see, a California Cabernet that has the U.C. Davis stamp of quality. Amusing. Yes.
And then comes along Robin Goldstein, author of The Wine Trials, who did some fancy and amusing footwork.
He just posted a ballsy expos�e on those awards of excellence the Spec hands out to restaurants that have wine lists up to the Wine Spects high standards. Goldstein spoofed up a restaurant, created a reserve list that he cherry picked from a collection of mostly low scoring Spectator wines.
The list is overpriced and underbalanced sprouting germs like the AMARONE CLASSICO �LA FABRISERIA� 1998 (Veneto) Tedeschi for 185,00 �.
But the point? He paid money and got himself a Wine Spec badge of honor.
read about it here.

08/12/2008

August. The plums should be out in Burgundy and the blueberries are on the hills in Walton and I did not pick them this year. There were no wild blueberry pies for me, from those bushes that are as squat and thick as bushels of hay. The size of the berry, from the tiniest of cultured pearls, to nice big fat south sea ones. For years, I climbed the hill, my own private Cote Rotie, scampered over the hot rocks, like slabs of chocolate and fed myself like a foraging deer and filled my basket for the pie with a cornmeal butter crust that was in the near future.
Not this year.
I am here. I will see the plums of Bouilland in a few weeks, but no blues, but still don�t weep for me, even though at this moment it does feel as if I the only one in town waiting for the phone to ring or for the comments to rush in. Deserted. Am I the only one left here to watch the thunder and lightning in NYC, today as dramatic as an El Greco sea? Or am I high on the histrionics today? Yes. It is possible.
Just checking.
What about this question: did you read Jim Fullmer, president of Demeter USA's comment on my previous post?
I like talking to Jim. As a farmer, he is quite ardent about biodynamics and a little new to the concept of wine and I also think a little amused at my take on things. Never-the-less, in our correspondence he has told me that he hopes some changes are in effect for the harvest of 2008. I wonder if I hear the influence of Nicolas Joly who has a few tier step for his Return to Terroir Group?
If it goes through Biodynamics will have something for everyone.
1) Biodynamic Grapes (not wine)
2) Biodynamic Wine (from 100% bioD grapes) and those will come in two sizes:
2a) The normal Biodynamic wine which means you can mess with the wine process some.
2b) Gold Standard Biodynamic---which is ultimately a 'natural' wine.
Interesting, though I see no point in anything but the gold standard. But at least it's going to be there.
Here' a little bit from Jim's own email.
++++In the wine section of the processing standard there are 2 labeling categories. In the "old" USA standard about to be revised ( December 2006) the categories were/ are "made with BD grapes" and "Biodynamic Wine" ( being the one w/ less modification allowed). In the revision it is looking like the "made with" terminology will be gone because it is to easily confused w/ the confusion that goes on in the "organic " world. It is likely that category will be "Biodynamic Wine" and the un- modified category " Biodynamic Gold Standard". The goal for the later is to have the Demeter logo for this category in gold and easily identified on the bottle. I admit that this is a needed improvement in labeling so folks can easily identify it on the store shelf.
Both categories mean 100% Biodynamic grapes , always have always will. Again getting rid of the "made with" so as to not get stuck in the vortex of the organic mess, 70% what have you....
Demeter does allow sulfite in both categories. There are some we work with that do not add sulfites and they are pretty clear about it in their labeling. So those looking for that can also go for that.+++

August. The plums should be out in Burgundy and the blueberries are on the hills in Walton and I did not pick them this year. There were no wild blueberry pies for me, from those bushes that are as squat and thick as bushels of hay. The size of the berry, from the tiniest of cultured pearls, to nice big fat south sea ones. For years, I climbed the hill, my own private Cote Rotie, scampered over the hot rocks, like slabs of chocolate and fed myself like a foraging deer and filled my basket for the pie with a cornmeal butter crust that was in the near future.
Not this year.
I am here. I will see the plums of Bouilland in a few weeks, but no blues, but still don�t weep for me, even though at this moment it does feel as if I the only one in town waiting for the phone to ring or for the comments to rush in. Deserted. Am I the only one left here to watch the thunder and lightning in NYC, today as dramatic as an El Greco sea? Or am I high on the histrionics today? Yes. It is possible.
Just checking.
What about this question: did you read Jim Fullmer, president of Demeter USA's comment on my previous post?
I like talking to Jim. As a farmer, he is quite ardent about biodynamics and a little new to the concept of wine and I also think a little amused at my take on things. Never-the-less, in our correspondence he has told me that he hopes some changes are in effect for the harvest of 2008. I wonder if I hear the influence of Nicolas Joly who has a few tier step for his Return to Terroir Group?
If it goes through Biodynamics will have something for everyone.
1) Biodynamic Grapes (not wine)
2) Biodynamic Wine (from 100% bioD grapes) and those will come in two sizes:
2a) The normal Biodynamic wine which means you can mess with the wine process some.
2b) Gold Standard Biodynamic---which is ultimately a 'natural' wine.
Interesting, though I see no point in anything but the gold standard. But at least it's going to be there.
Here' a little bit from Jim's own email.
++++In the wine section of the processing standard there are 2 labeling categories. In the "old" USA standard about to be revised ( December 2006) the categories were/ are "made with BD grapes" and "Biodynamic Wine" ( being the one w/ less modification allowed). In the revision it is looking like the "made with" terminology will be gone because it is to easily confused w/ the confusion that goes on in the "organic " world. It is likely that category will be "Biodynamic Wine" and the un- modified category " Biodynamic Gold Standard". The goal for the later is to have the Demeter logo for this category in gold and easily identified on the bottle. I admit that this is a needed improvement in labeling so folks can easily identify it on the store shelf.
Both categories mean 100% Biodynamic grapes , always have always will. Again getting rid of the "made with" so as to not get stuck in the vortex of the organic mess, 70% what have you....
Demeter does allow sulfite in both categories. There are some we work with that do not add sulfites and they are pretty clear about it in their labeling. So those looking for that can also go for that.+++

I'm hunting the Leon Trotskys, the Philip Roths, the Chaucers and the Edith Whartons of the wine world. I want them natural and most of all, I want them to speak the truth even if we argue. With this messiah thing going on, I'm trying to swell the ranks of those who crave the differences in each vintage, celebrate nuance and desire wines that make them think, laugh, and feel. Welcome.

And, if you'd like a signed copy of either THE BATTLE FOR WINE AND LOVE OR HOW I SAVED THE WORLD FROM PARKERIZATION or NAKED WINE, feel free to contact me directly.